After all, the pair enjoyed three years together at Rangers before Coop coaxed him out of retirement to pull on the red and white of the Bankies for a short spell in 1994.

Butcher only managed three outings for Clydebank that season but he remembers vividly the emotion and the shock that surrounded the sudden death of someone he classed as a friend.

Speaking candidly to the Post, the England legend recalls the battles the pair had on the pitch and in the dressing room — and reveals how it was not only Coop’s wing trickery that could tie his opponents up in knots but also his quick wit and sense of humour.

Butcher told SportScene: “Simply put, Davie was just one of the greatest players I have ever seen.

“He was a fabulous player, a good laugh and a tremendous talent — I can’t stress that enough.

“He was just a magician with the ball at his feet. His skill, even on the training field, was unplayable and he would chip in with a fair share of goals too.

“But above all, he would hate to get beaten, he loved to get one over the English guys in training that’s for sure.” He continued: “Davie was a really funny guy.

“He could be quiet and he was one moody so-and-so at times. That led to him being nicknamed Moody Blue at Rangers and for good reason too.

“However, once you got to know him you realised just how funny a guy he was. You had to keep yourself on your toes or he would catch you out with his banter and witty one-liners.

“He was very quick-witted and he could shoot you down if you weren’t ready for it.

“We had a good relationship, Davie would call me Lurch after the character from the Addams Family and I would give him abuse back but it was all in good fun.

“He was a fantastic man, and a gentleman.” Following three years out the game, Butcher laced the boots back up to travel north to turn out for the Bankies in 1994, teaming up with old Rangers buddy Cooper for the first time since 1989.

Three matches may have been enough to tell Terry that his time on the field was up, but he revealed it was all to help his old friend.

Butcher said: “It was actually Davie that convinced me to sign for Clydebank.

“He was a player/coach by this point and he phoned me up and spoke to me. I felt like I could still do a job at what was a good level, they were struggling a bit and he believed I could add something.

“I agreed, I thought I was fit and was more than happy to help out, I had been considering coaching myself following a spell of management and saw it as a good opportunity.

“Unfortunately as every knows my legs weren’t up to it. I got injured quite early on in my time at Kilbowie but it was good to go along, meet up and play with Davie yet again.” However, little did Butcher know that less than six months after leaving Clydebank his former teammate would be gone forever.

The tremor in his voice tells how to this day the tragedy of his pal’s death brings back the memories.

“It affected me greatly at the time and it was massive shock to us all,” he said. “The fact that he was on the training field doing what he loved best brought it all home for me.

“Football was Davie Cooper’s life and he died doing what he loved.

“We all miss him, with each year that passes we all still miss him dearly.” He added: “My abiding memory of Davie, it was just that he could do things other people couldn’t even dream of.

“He had so much skill you didn’t know how to stop him — but the thing is, if you couldn’t stop him he would just do it again and again — and again, just to rub it in.

“He was a great man, and a great football player, we will never forget him.”